A whip, a staff, and Noroi
by angels101
Summary: Follow Kari the dark hunter, and Noroi, the Hexer, as the flee for the last time, and end up creating a guide in Etria! Will the forces catch up to Kari? Why are the forces catching up to Kari? If they do manage to escape Kari's pursuers, can they escape the labyrinth's monsters with their lives, as all signs point to no? Rated T for later chapters. Sorry about the summery!
1. A Guild?

_**Please Kari?**_

_**Kari: Never.**_

_**Fine. Yoso, will you do the honers?**_

_**Yoso: As you wish. Angels101 does not own, or claim to own etrian odessey.**_

_**Thank you~ Least I know who my friends are~**_

_**Kari: Hey!**_

_The boxcar couldn't hold the two. Who in their right mind would have put them in there? Kari thought as she opened her eyes, the effect of chlorine wearing off rather quickly-she had always had a very fast recovery rate. The groggy fog that always appeared to waft around her when she first awoke vanished finally, and she dully noted that Noroi was beginning to stir beside her._

_The pink-headed seventeen year old pushed lightly on the box. It didn't budge. Kari sighed, and brushed strands of pink hair behind her ear, her purple eyes flashing annoyance. If she didn't have enough power the open the box she was in herself she'd have to wait for Noroi to wake up too, which wasn't favorable, because the kid took forever to wake up in the first place._

_It was cold-kind of made Kari wish she knew if Noroi had anything under that cape thingy she was wearing-she highly doubted it. Oh well. At least the younger was warm. Made her wish she had more than that tiny black coat and short black shorts on. that flimsy black cape couldn't keep a fire warm. oh well, at least with the boots she was wearing her legs were warm._

_By now Noroi was mostly awake. Her short brown hair was more ruffled that it usually was-her brown eyes showed the weary-ness both were feeling. Kari numbly yelled at her self-wasn't the first time-how she had got a kid like Noroi into this. She was no older that fourteen. Still a child. Oh well, the had no time to lament about mistakes. Noroi combined with Kari's strength opened up the door holding them in. The two hoped down-into the grass. Free again. Kari thought darkly._

_"come on." Kari said, pulling Noroi to her feet._

_"Are you okay?" Kari asked, looking Noroi over, relieved to see no injury, and further relieved when Noroi dipped her head as a yes._

_"Come on, maybe we'll find a town of village up ahead, Noroi." Kari said and began to walk, Noroi falling in behind her._

Kari opened her eyes at the distressed memory entering her memories. She jumped to her feet.

"Noroi?" She called. The younger usually slept in their room-so Kari could keep an eye on her. She was no-where to be seen.

"Noroi!" Kari called the younger's name again. No answer. _'This was bad! We were to start a new life here. They can't have found us...' _Kari rushed out the door, only to find Noroi, eyes cloaking the terror she must have felt, a huge looking man towering over her. If Kari listened, she could hear Noroi's whimpering. She grabbed her whip, but to her surprise, a young looking man with bright blonde hair pushed Noroi behind him, as he made venom-like eyes at the taller male.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing- picking on a child like this? Huh?!" The man asked, his sword pointed up at him, eyes flashing. Kari ran to Noroi and the man, hand on her whip.

"We must get out of here!" Kari wailed, gripping the hand of Noroi, and dragging the man by the arm.

"whoa. Wh-ait. Hold-ow!" The man cried as Kari let go of his arm.

"ahaha. I'm Saventh. Who are you?" Saventh introduced himself.

"Um..I'm Kari and this is Noroi." Noroi waved shyly, as Kari grinned at him.

"Cool! Are you all joining a guide?" Saventh asked them.

"A...oh! That's right. For the labyrinth? Sure. Sounds like fun." Kari said. _'maybe we'll lose their trail that way...'_

"Awesome! Tell you what. I'll join. My buddy will-wait, where did he go?" Saventh looked around for his apparent friend while Kari and Noroi both sweat-dropped.

"WHERE WERE YOU YOU MORON?! I OUTTA BLAST YOU-!" " Oh, there he is." Saventh said as a medic came barreling into him, yelling, as he prodded Saventh's chest with his index finger, totally ignoring Kari and Noroi.

" I turn by back for a second! To look at the clinic! And where are you?! WHO KNOWS, BECAUSE YOU WERE GONE! VANISHED! POOF! How many times must I tell you! STOP DISAPPEARING!" The medic roared, as Saventh pleaded with him to stop yelling, but the medic only pushed his orange hair out of his eyes, before continuing his tirade, until Noroi sighed and walked up to him, tapping his shoulder.

"huh? Oh, hey. Do you need a medic? I can finish this later." the medic nearly seemed like a different person. It was sort of creepy to be honest.

"No. We are to create a guild, and your acquaintance was going to join." Kari explained shortly.

"Oh, i see. So you found us a guild, Saveth? Well, the explorer's guide is this way. Oh, and welcome to Etria. My name is Kenko." Kenko introduced himself.

"Hm? I haven't seen you before. If you've come to explore the Labyrinth, then welcome to the Explorers Guild." A rough looking man introduced himself.

"Since you're new here, I'd like to set you up with a veteran group... but not many guilds are recruiting." The man continued.

"Shortsighted treasure hunters care too much about petty trifles to do any real investigation." The man said, sighing.

"In any case, if you've got the guts, you could make a guild entirely made up of newcomers." The man STILL wasn't done.

"There are loads of people just sitting around twiddling their thumbs, eager to join any guild that would take 'em." He finished, gesturing toward Saventh and Kenko who both nodded in agreement.

Kari stepped up "I shall make a guild." She said, voice firm.

"Great, let's get started. Write down what you would like your guild to be named here in this ledger." The man states, handing Kari a piece of parchment.

"This name may someday be known throughout the world, so think carefully before committing to it." Th man warns.

"Hm..." Kari thinks, before writing down a name, looking pleased. The guild-master took a peek at the name.

"Wrath, huh. Not a bad name." Kari grinned proudly at the compliment.

"Now that you've got a guild, try getting some adventurers to fill your ranks." The man advises.

"Having more adventurers gives you more options, and less of a chance of dying down there." Kari shivered. _'you can die down there?! What have I got Noroi and myself into?'_

"Give it some thought, and make sure you recruit a variety of classes into your guild." _'That's right, Noroi was a hexer, and I'm a Dark hunter...Saventh is a protector by the looks of him, and it was obvious that Kenko was a medic.' _Kari thought to herself.

"Let's see...I guess five is a good number. That's not too many and not too few." The man almost says to himself.

After Kari finished registering the four of them, the man told them to go to Radha hall-they couldn't explore the labyrinth until they mapped the first floor, so he said.

On their way there, though they bumped into two mean looking dark hunters picking on a smaller Alchemist, who seemed to be pointedly ignoring them.

"Arther! Yui! Leave the kid ALONE!" Saventh roared at them, rolling his eyes as they both fled.

"Hey, kid. You alright?" Saventh asked, a loopy grin on his face. The Alchemist nodded, unfazed.

"It was admirable how you took that without a word. What's your name?" Kari asked.

"Yoso." The Alchemist replied shortly, totally stoic.

"Ah. Would you like to join our guild, Yoso?" Yoso seemed mildly shocked for a matter of three seconds, before his face was blank again.

"As you wish." the blonde Alchemist nodded. _'short of words, I see. He'll warm up on his own time, just like Noroi did. Maybe it's the class he's in, or something happened. Oh well, i'll find out soon enough.' _People that went cold at such an early age, Yoso was around sixteen, always intrigued her. (Or people like Saventh, what acted two at twenty, which was his age.)

_'It seems that I've gotten little Noroi and myself into something big, hopefully out new friends will pull though for us...heh. This will be interesting...' _Kari thought, a smirk slowly growing on her face.

_'most certainly...interesting.'_

_**End of first chapter.**_


	2. into the Labyrinth!

_**hmm...Saventh!**_

_**Saventh: CanIdothedisclaimercanIdothedisclaimer?!**_

_**Um...sure.**_

_**Saventh: Angels101 doesn't own Etrian Odessey! But she does own Team Wrath!**_

_**Nicely done, Saventh.**_

_**Saventh: Yaaaaay!**_

_**Warning: Dumb humer in this one.**_

"It appears they give this jobs to rookies to see if they can survive the first floor." Yoso said, shocking everyone he said a sentience that was more that four of five letters long.

"Yes, it seems so. It's easy to get killed in here." Kenko replies, hastily drawing up the map.

"You made a mistake. The was three squares in that room, not two." Kari reminds Kenko, watching over his shoulder.

"Well, do you want to do it, then?" Kenko growls at Kari, annoyed at her pesky criticism she seemed to be doing every three or four seconds.

"Would you two save your flirting for later?! Kenko, I think Noroi is hurt!" Saventh chirps to the pair, who, after a shout of _'WE AREN'T FLIRTING YOU MORON' _from both parties rushed over to Noroi, who was staring at the ground intensely.

"God, stop worrying us like that, you idiot. That is how a Hexer always acts!" Kenko sighs, uttering a few choice words, as the five of them hit a dead end.

"The water heals." Yoso says mysteriously, and out of no-where. Kari turns to him.

"Huh?" she asks, blinking in confusion. Yoso points at the small, nearly unnoticeable stream in front of them.

"The labyrinth holds many secrets. Like holy water." Yoso said cryptically. The three members shook their heads at him at turned to mapping the-wait, three?

"Noroi, don't get so close to the-" too late. Noroi had found the bigger part of the stream, and leaned in to far, falling in, gasping.

'Noroi!' everyone cried, rushing to the bigger part of the now river-sized steam after her.

~~~Labyrinth~~~

"is that blood?" Yoso was the one to point the bag out.

"Um..yes it is. Do you guess someone died here?" Kari said, inspecting the blood.

"No, not on the first floor. Maybe something dragged it up here. Or...maybe it did?" the four explores looked at each other, then the bag. Noroi looked off into space.

"Maybe we...shouldn't open it, then?" Saventh said scepticly.

"Yeah. Good idea." The four agreed just as a rustle in the bushes startled them. They all turned to the noise, until a twig snapped, sending them all running, all four of-wait, four?!

"Noroi! Run!" Kari cried out, snatching Noroi with her hands, pushing her in front of the group. Noroi sent them all a look that said, _Why are we running?_ They all ignored her and kept on running, just as a tree rat came out of the bushes and looked at the running teens (and adults) in confusion.

~~~Laabyriinth~~~

"Done!" Kenko shouted happily, startling the woodflies.

"H-hey...guys? They are heading this way..." Saventh alerted the group.

"There are Venomflies over there." Yoso said, pointing at the purple butterflies.

The four looked at the Venomflies, who's poison could knock you out in two hits, then at the woodflies, who could be knocked out in two hits. all four of-wait, four?!

"Noroi!" The fourteen year old approached the puple moths more and more.

"No! Bad Noroi, bad!" Kari scolded, leading the girl away.

Noroi stared at the venomfly.

The Venomfly stared at Noroi.

Noroi snapped her fingers and turned away, just as the venomfly poisoned itself from Noroi's suicide call.

No-one noticed.

Poor Noroi.

~~~Labyrinth...?~~~

"Hey! Mr. solder dude!" The solder turned toward Saventh, taking the map out if his hands.

"Oh, good. You finished. Now go report it to Radha hall. Out of the labyrinth. No more exploring for you!" The solder taunted, heading back to town.

"I wished to go to the second floor..." Yoso sighed, a hint of sorrow in his voice. Saventh patted his shoulder.

"we all did, we all did." He grieved.

Noroi didn't. She wanted to head to the inn to rest from that suicide spell she casted.

But no-one asked her.

Poor, poor Noroi.

_**End of chapter two**_


	3. at the inn

_**Noroi! I grant you speaking powers!**_

_**Noroi: I...can speak...?**_

_**Yup! Disclaimer please!**_

_**Noroi: Angels101...doesn't own...etrian odessey...**_

_**thanks, Noroi~**_

"So we can explore the second floor now too, huh?" Saventh said, leading the way to the inn, as Noroi had gotten sick and tired of the whole 'poor Noroi' thing and silently demanded that they go to the inn-she wanted a rest, and she was going to to get it if she had to threaten cursing them, dammit!

Of course, an angry hexer was a terrible ordeal in the first place, but Noroi...imagiane a baby dragon. Cute. That is how Noroi usually is. Now imagine the dragon turning into a seven foot tall evil fire-breathing dragon who could knock any elemental dragon, god, or whatever dare rear it's head towards it, to next week. Noroi starting to get angry. No one ever lived to see Noroi totally angry-thus making the guild scurry rather hurriedly, never-mind the fact Noroi was only fourteen, and had returned to staring into nothingness, as if in a trance, because arguing with Noroi is like arguing with a cute puppy that had a machete and had broken out of prison. Well Noroi had a staff, not a machete, but that was beside the point! (Besides, a puppy with a staff would just be, well, _weird_.)

Anyway, they had taken a wrong turn (I knew I should have taken that left at albakerky!) and had gotten lost along the way. Figures. Well at least Noroi didn't seem to mind, in fact she was looking though windows of shops, and scarring anyone who dare look at her for life. Well, Noroi's definition of 'fun' and a sane person's view on 'fun' were diffrent, so there was no complaint, just rolled eyes, sighs, and 'oh _Noroi._.._'_s.

~~~A few dead ends, mishaps with a saber-tooth tiger, explorer from the future who was guarding a bag of Doritos, and pissed of Kenko later~~~

"Is...this the rooster inn?" Kenko looked stressed, like attempting to pull out a saber-tooth tiger's sore tooth stressful. Well he had good reason, because that tiger was NOT in a good mood-that was for sure.

"Yes. Would you like to stay a night?" A timid looking boy answered, looking at Kari (Forgot about her, eh? Oh well, Noroi is twice as awesome-she does disclaimers! And she doesn't speak!) who nodded, thankfully at him. After he passed out keys, they all retreated to their rooms respectfully.

~~~With Kari and Noroi~~~

"Are you okay, Noroi? No injury?" Kari fussed over the small hexer, who shook her head, denying any harm was placed on her body.

"Oh good. Go on to sleep. I have...matters...to discuss...elsewhere. I bid you farewell!" With that Kari was gone, nearly tripping over her boots.

Noroi shrugged, the sun had yet to even go down, and pulled out her sketch pad, and after mulling it over a few second, settled for drawing a furyhorn.

In the main lobby, the unnamed attendee nearly fainted in shock as a pen floated out of no-where and into a nearby room. It seemed he would never get use to hexers and alchemist, no matter how long he was in Etria...

Noroi's 'borrowed' pencil-Kari always told her taking things without asking was bad, but who cared about what Kari thought? Noroi certainly didn't- began to sketch out a lovely doe standing by a small river in midair, as if by magic. Noroi smiled and began to draw on it's horns, and hope Kari didn't walk in. The last time she saw a picture drawing itself, she shrieked, and nearly wet her pants, earning her quite the look from Noroi, who had been doing this her entire life. Noroi giggled slightly at the memory, before she returned to her to-be masterpiece.

~~~With the boys~~~

"I am going to sleep." Yoso said, monotone, before passing out, not giving either men a chance to react.

"Well...doesn't he fall asleep easily." Saventh said casually, not tired in the least.

"Ah, children. It shows he is healthy. Now, I have the oddest feeling if i look outside right now, i'll see a floating pen, so i'm not even going to bother."

Kenko says, shrugging off his medical coat, and setting his medicinal bag down with a huff mixed with a groan. Saventh blinked up at him, giving him a weird look as he struggled to pull off his boots.

"Okay then, i don't wanna ask. Man, I can't believe that big, muscly dude would attempt to hurt Noroi though-she's a kid!" Saventh finally got his first boot off, and started on the other, as Kenko rolled his eyes, pulling his pesky orange hair into a ponytail, or clipping it back, however you wish to see it.

"Noroi is much stronger than what you give her credit for. Did you see that suicide spell she cast on that Venomfly? And look at Yoso, he is only fifteen, but he has very strong magic for his age. And who are you to talk? You are twenty. You wouldn't be a protector if I judged your defense on a twenty year old." Kenko snorted, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Well, she looked rather scared to me...hey kid, move your arm, if you roll over anymore, you'll end in the floor...anyway, shouldn't she be able to talk, too?" Saventh questioned, rolling Yoso over with one arm, he groaned, before he was deep into sleep once again.

"Goodness, what a heavy sleeper, and maybe she can, but chooses no to. Stop attempting to sound therapeutic. It doesn't suit you." Kenko sniffed, crawling into his bed, reaching over to flip out the light.

"No kidding, kid could withstand a furyhorn rampage outside his door without even stirring. 'Night Kenko." Saventh tried to grin, but he was asleep before his heat hit the pillow.

"Goodnight, Saventh." Kenko would have rolled his eyes if they weren't already closed.

They both would have said goodnight to Yoso, but who said goodnight to a sleeping person?

_**End of chapter three**_


	4. The one-arm

_**Floating pen from chapter three! I grant ye speaking powers as well!**_

_**Pen: I'm a peeeen~**_

_**Yes, yes you are. Can you do...the disclaimer...?**_

_**Pen: Angels101 don't own Etrian Odessey~**_

_**Thank you.**_

_**Warning: If you are a blood squeamish click that back button please! By the way, this story is based on Classic mode in the millennium girl if you didn't know.**_

"We are killing a what?" Kari stared at the guy in charge of Radha hall.

"It's species name is bloody one-arm. It, well, lost an arm, so it shouldn't be that hard to kill." Yeah, like a shade reaper, or whatever it was called, Kari didn't care, with both arms cut off wasn't hard to kill. This one was it had killed people. A lot of people. Ew.

"Fine, fine. We will do it then." Kari sighed-she might not have the pursuers even close to their whereabouts and still end up getting killed.

"Your 'cuffs' skill move might come in handy here." The count advised.

"Whatever. I'm leaving. Later." Kari sighed.

"I bid you good luck." The count called after her.

"Yeah, sure..." Kari muttered to herself.

~~~PAAAASSSTAA...Labyrinth!~~~

"Oh, excuse me! Do you know how do get to Radha hall?" A maid-like woman asked Kari the second she exited the building.

"Right behind me." Kari told her, deadpan style, before continuing her journey to the inn.

Unnoticeable to her, the maid nodded twice to a mean-looking, pirate-like man, and pointed in Kari's direction.

"...Cannot give up our position yet. Just keep watching the girl-we'll make our move soon enough." He had his orders.

"And you will keep your end of the deal?" No way someone that looked that much like a pirate would even get out of bed for free.

"Of course. Do not fail. You know the cost." The man switched off his phone.

"Oh, I do, but do you?" And with that he slipped back into the shadows.

Target spotted, actions pending...

He was ready.

~~~At the inn~~~

"I see..." After Kari returned, she immediately held a conference, and explained the situation. At the fact of even seeing something that held 'bloody' in it's name put the entire team (Minus Noroi, who was fearless to everything except big, muscly dudes towering over her) on edge.

"Um...we should set out then, shouldn't we...?" Yoso looked nervous, even more so than everyone else for some reason, Kari noted.

"I suppose we should. Watch out, I heard from the count that this thing will sneak up and ambush you-stay alert." Kari said, looking like a Drill Sargent. The team nodded, looking serious.

"Well, time to head out!" Saventh cheered, lighting the atmosphere, and with that, everyone headed out into the labyrinth, but Kari kept the fact that they would have to rip it's arm off to herself-what the didn't know wouldn't kill them, right?

~~~at the labyrinth~~~

"It's on the first floor, right...?" Kenko asked quietly, shuffling slightly.

"Yeah." Kari nodded at the question. Noroi tapped her shoulder, gaining the entire team's attention instantly and pointed.

There, in the distance, was the one-arm, totally drenched in blood, to the point it was dripping on the ground. It psychotic smile made even Saventh feel uncomfortable. All expected it to slash at them, add their own blood to make up for the dripping red from where it's left arm used to be, but, to their surprise, it turned and walked away, leaving a trail of blood behind it. Yoso looked queasy.

"That is...disgusting..." He moaned, his face looking green.

"You don't like blood, do you?" Kari asked. Yoso shook his head.

"Do you?" He asked her, she shrugged.

"Lets just kill it." She said quietly. Everyone gained their bearings and tip-toed cautiously though the forest, hitting a dead end.

"Hey...I don't hear anything anymore..." Yoso said, looking frightened, but chose to hide it.

"You're right-NOROI!" Kari screamed as the one-arm launched itself at Noroi-her eyes widening in shock as it's claws drew closer and closer to her neck...

Suddenly the blood covered monster fell to the ground. Noroi, slathered with blood herself, was staring it down. Suddenly she snapped her fingers, and the one-arm sunk to the ground, and it's eyes closed, but the grin never vanished.

Kari took a shaky step towards it, closed her eyes, and ripped the arm out of the socket, holding it in the fingertips like a prize.

"Are you okay, Noroi?!" Noroi nodded, she was fine, just startled.

"Come on. You can take a shower while I give this to the count. You all go with her." Everyone stared at each other for a few seconds, the left, wondering how such a young girl could harness that much power.

_**Ick...but end of chapter four!**_


	5. at the bar

_**Kari: Unhand me!**_

_**Not until you do the disclaimer!**_

_**Kari: Fine! Angels101 does not own Etrian Odessey...there!**_

_**Thank you. Was that so hard?**_

_**Warning: non-action chapter...might have humor in it, I don't know...**_

By the time Kari had returned to the inn, Noroi (and her robe/cape thingy) were both dripping wet, but clean. Kari sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Noroi, how many times must I tell you? Don't bathe with your robe on!" Noroi fixated her with a look, and Kari remembered the chains she was wearing-but she had always thought Noroi could take them off-but now she was reconsidering-or Noroi just didn't want to take them off.

"Anyways, come with me. We are heading to the pub-I got an announcement to make-I think the members of Wrath with find this most amusing." At that note Noroi used magic to blow-dry her hair and robe-her rope returned to normal, as she took certain care to assure her cowbell wouldn't rust-then she couldn't use the labyrinth's monsters as her play-toys, then Noroi would be sad, and Noroi hated being sad. Her hair, unfortunately, fell back in front of her face though, so she attempted to throw it behind her ears-her hands came out of her came when she desired them to-but it was futile, so she huffed to herself and magic-hair-sprayed it back so it was spiky in the back.

"Can I interest you in dyeing your hair, Noroi? Purple would look so good on you, you know." Noroi send Kari a look-she liked her natural hair color-brown. She sometimes wondered how Kari's hair was pink when she was born-it was unnatural. Kari stopped by the boys' room, yelling 'Get your asses to the bar, now!' before she kept going, Noroi behind her, feeling sort of awkward.

~~~At the bar~~~

"At right, is everyone here?" Kari called. Noroi was sitting, hands folded in her lap, attempting to ignore a white-haired troubadour, who was intent on getting the poor girl into the dance-floor. Saventh and Kenko where sipping on ale and chatting like the old friends they were, and Yoso was staring straight at her, alert and attentive. Good. Everyone was there.

"So...our reward for this is most unusual." Everyone tensed, remembering the simple snap of the fingers that killed a giant beast.

"We...got a mansion!" Everyone snapped their heads' up in shock. A...mansion...?

"This is our Guild-keeper, Rosa." Kari said, pointing to a young lady who had every male in the bars' eyes on her. She walked up to the guild.

"My name is Rosa. It will be a pleasure to serve you, wrath." She says softly. Noroi seemed to perk up finally, and left the annoying troubadour to study the woman for a few seconds, before smiling at her. Rosa looked at her for a few seconds oddly, before she smiled as well.

"Ah, master Noroi. How are you these days? You must be Kari," Rosa bowed politely towards Kari before continuing, "I do hope you have been taking good care of young Noroi here. I shall head back to the mansion. Do have a safe journey-I shall be glad to assist you in any way I can." and with that she was gone. Kari turned to Noroi.

"I didn't know you knew her, Noroi." Noroi just shrugged, a hint of a smile still on her face, before she returned to letting the persistent troubadour attempt to gain her attention.

Kari sat beside a drunken man that was without an arm, and started to chat about labyrinth tips, despite the fact the man continually told her he was lying.

The white-haired troubadour, named Ongaku, was relentless. He had never danced with a hexer before, so he wanted to try with the brown haired one that was with the dark hunter. From listing in on their conversation, he learned the girl's name was Noroi. Despite the fact the name seemed to be warning him to stay away from the girl, he continued to attempt to woo her. He was failing. Badly. And running out of options. To make matters worse, Ongaku was beginning to irritate Noroi, if the eye-twitching was anything to go by. Suddenly, Ongaku felt the strangest urge to go to that creepy-looking ronin over by the corner. He left the hexer behind and walked over to him. Noroi snapped her fingers and watched, amused, as the male looked at his surrounding, and wondered how he got to the other side of the bar.

Yoso sipped lightly on his water, feeling awkward to be in such a crowded place. As he quietly wondered how the bar-keeper could handle that many people at once, the two dark hunters who where attempting to rile his nerves earlier stalked up to him. Yoso groaned to himself. They were at it again...

"Hey, flame-head! Decide to use that fire for something beside keeping your campfire lit in the allies?" The first dark hunter, Arther, scoffed at him.

"I think he found a guild, Art. So, where's your ittle guild, kid? Out fighting the baddies, leaving you moping behind?" The second, Yui, giggled, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder.

Yoso just stared at them, unimpressed.

"What? Cat got your tongue? Or did you quit before the got a chance to kick you off the team?" Yoso sighed, rolled his eyes, before returning to his water, trying to tone them out.

"Hey, don't ignore us, kid. It could mean bad things for you~" As if Yoso cared about threats. To his own surprise, as well as the dark hunters, the bar keeper walked up to the three of them.

"Hey-if you are going to make idiotic accusations, go back to your own guild-oh wait. You don't have one. And for your information, This 'kid's guild is incredibly promising-more that what I can say for you two. Now get out before I make you." Yoso was surprised at how unwavered she was, but then again, she ran a bar-she had to keep control, if it meant kicking people out, so be it. None the less, he was grateful. The two took their sweet time, but left anyway. Yoso turned to his water, but not before throwing the bar keeper a thankful look-she returned it with a wink, before returning to work.

Saventh had done it again. He had triggered Kenko's bad side...he held his hands up as his friend yelled at him.

"You IDIOT! You can't go around on your own into the labyrinth! ARE YOU SUICIDAL?!" Saventh had had a bit of beer, which loosened his tounge-damn, did he regret that now. When Kenko got started, it took him a long time to stop. He'd have to get some earplugs next time he went shopping-it could get him killed, but hey, he wouldn't be able to hear Kenko, right? Then again, at the volume that he was yelling in, Saventh was starting to doubt it. He sucked in a breath and prepared himself. This was going to be some evening...

~~~Unknown location~~~

"They are at the bar, sir." Yui and Arther bowed to the dark shadow.

"And the Alchemist joined their guild, yes?" The man asked, looking at the both of them, making them both shiver.

"Yes, sir. Just as you requested!" The man nodded, thoughtfully.

"Good. You are dismissed." The two scurried away, as the man called his pirate friend. After two rings the phone was answered.

"Keep an eye on them. We can get rid of all the witnesses at once." The man orders.

"When will we take action?" The pirate was sick of waiting.

"In do time, Sythe. Remember, don't provoke the girl. You realize her power, yes?" Sythe didn't know why the man feared such a small, helpless little girl.

"Of course." He lied.

"Good. Do not fail. I will tell you when to strike. Farewell." With that, the pirate hung up. The man smiled-everything was falling in to plan. He chuckled lightly.

At this point, he'd have the girl's power sooner than expected.

_**End of chapter five**_


	6. The ballerina doll

_**Hellllllo! I'm so, so , SO sorry it took me this long to update! I kind of got stuck in a rut-a small tiney-weeny little rut, but a rut none-the-less-but I'M BACK! With a new chapter! So...uh...Man-in-the-shadows! DISCLAIMER!**_

_**Man-in-the-shadows: Will I get Tea instead of that accursed coffee?**_

_**As you wish, just spit out the disclaimer already!**_

_**Man-in-the-shadows: Fine, fine. Angels101 does not own Etrain Odyessy, and, prusumably, never will.**_

Dolls had always fascinated Noroi. The anatomy was useful when she was studying, and they-she had to admit-were quite fun to mutilate. Pop a head off, rip an arm or leg off, explode, impale, or whatever she wished to do, was quite satisfying-to the point that, almost any doll in her possession was killed by skillful hand, sooner than later. But she never could injured that little ballerina doll. It had light orange hair, with light green eyes. Her entire outfit was aquamarine-down to her delicately painted shoes. Noroi always felt as if the doll was calling her, and every time she'd get a plate, or grab a pen or three, the little doll would stare up at her, and she couldn't bring herself to do it. The doll was littered with sparkles, shining dots, and at once, she was a lovely little doll, but ageing turned the tutu into a small piece of fabric, and it was easy to see the top was painted on, with the sparkles always falling off. But for some odd reason, Noroi enjoyed the doll, that was only two thumbs long. It fit in Noroi's hands perfectly, and sometimes the girl would just stare at it endlessly. In fact, Kari looked at it before, but found her gaze much to intense and was forced to look away. Noroi carried the thing everywhere. Sometimes, when Kari and Noroi were alone, and Noroi felt safe enough to open her lips and let words slip though, she told her that the tiny doll almost reminded her of a small human, one she had to care for, instead of being cared for. So when Kari saw the doll lying lifeless in the ground, face up, she knew something was seriously wrong-so she picked the doll-horribly worn with age-held it to her chest for a few seconds, then ran off to tell her team to start searching, a whisper of 'Not Noroi...' muttered under her breath.

~~~Poor Noroi!~~~

The man hidden in the shadows smiled, seeing Arther, Yui, and a confused Noroi walk into the door. Noroi looked at him suspiciously, a wary look in her eyes. The man clasped a hand around his tea and took a sip. Noroi would unleash her power...nope...nuh-uh...now. A bast of force blew the man's cup of tea into his eyes, what he wasn't anticipating, burning them, and making him curse wildly. Arther and Yui were thrown into the wall with such a force it rendered them unconscious almost instantly. The man who had brought them there-Sythe-was thrown backwards, and an odd ringing of a cowbell lulled him to sleep. Noroi walked out casually, scampering towards the exit, seeing the sunlight instantly. She looked around, expecting guards, anything, but to her annoyance, there were none. It was as if it was the first time they had tried to catch her-Kari wasn't the only person that could dish out attacks! Noroi huffed angrily, before she realized she had no idea where she was. There was no one around, and Kari wasn't around to take her to an inn. Of course, Noroi was always given money in case a situation like this ever occurred, but right now, Noroi wanted to see someone familiar. The men, guards, or whatnot would be on her soon, and she was alone in the town, lost. The only known presence was a death call-entering the labyrinth alone, and hope the group found her. Noroi gulped unsteadily to herself, leaving it as a last resort. She took a deep breath to contain herself, before walking into an alley to keep a low profile.

~~~Even poorer Kari!~~~

Kari finally understood what pure fear was. She nibbled on her lower lib slightly, before turning to her members-three of them. Kenko had at first attempted to tell her Noroi went for a walk, but Kari's temper flared, and she ended up screaming angrily at him. So now the rest of the team was walking on eggshells around her, especially Yoso, who was timid now, staying around Saventh, as if he expected the protector to protect him from Kari if she lashed out. Kari's composer was totally shattered, making her a bundle of nerves. She put her fingers to her head and sighed. If she blew up Noroi would never be saved. Alright, they'd find her...Kari turned her nerves on finding Noroi, she was determined. They'd find her. Over her dead body, if it came to that, they'd find her...

_**End of chapter six.**_


	7. Curses

_**Hello, hello, sorry for the wait. Not much else to say than, I don't own Etrian odyssey.**_

_**Warning: Mindless I'm-up-at-one-in-the-morning-humor.**_

Noroi had to hand it to Kari-finding places to stay was harder than she first expected. She wandered the streets like a lost little puppy, trying to find the inn. But apparently, the inn happened to be on the other side of an unfamiliar town. Noroi would rather jinx herself by going into the labyrinth, but she couldn't even find that now. Noroi was a follower, a if-told-to-attack-she'd-attack-er, a I-have-a-terrible-since-of-direction-so-i'll-follow-you-er. But here she was, unable to even find the labyrinth. Noroi sighed, berated herself for being clueless in since of direction for the ninth time in fifteen minutes, took a deep breath, and continued walking, hoping for the best, or at least the fairy god mother you see in movies to come poof her to the hotel, but this story is based off of a game, not a movie, so no poof-ing occurred. Poor Noroi.

~~~Even worse than the labyrinth~~~

After Noroi finish breaking the fourth wall, because of the 'poor Noroi' comment she was seriously getting sick of, then wondering what the other three walls before the fourth was, then attempting to use her hexer powers to find out, then running from a fire-breathing tiger-cow from the second wall-it's that second wall, I tell you!-Noroi, scarred for life, returned to searching for the inn, reminding herself to never, ever, EVER find out the other three walls again. She'd stick to the fourth. That one was safe. For now. Anyway, Noroi decided to plan the whole thing out into three plans, and, again, hope for the best. At this point, though, Noroi had wondered into an ally full of rabid cats. The twenty pairs of eyes stared up at her quietly, and Noroi gulped, not for the first time, wishing she didn't have such a burning love for animals. Poor Noroi.

~~~Plan A~~~

After muttering under her breath at the 'poor Noroi' thing again, but not daring to research again, Noroi commenced plan A. Meditate to find Kari's location. Noroi sat in the middle of the floor and concentrated, trying to feel Kari's presence, Noroi was rudely interrupted, by that pesky Troubadour that everyone forgot about. Heck, Noroi forgot his name, and Noroi never forgets a name.

"Hello~. What is up? Where is your dark hunter friend. Want to accompany me to the pub?" Noroi sighed irritably, before snapping her fingers, hoping the troubadour's head would explode. Unfortunately, the Troubador only stood and started walking around like a zombie, scaring any who got too close. Boring. Now Noroi had lost Kari's signal altogether from the lack of attention. Curses...

~~~Plan B~~~

Noroi wouldn't admit defeat that easily. In all the time it took her writer to get off her lazy arse to write about the poor girl's antics, Noroi wasn't letting her attention fade THAT easily. Ahem. Fourth wall breaking aside, Noroi decided to use her hexer powers to write down "hey Kari, it's me, Noroi!" and float it around though town, since she could go around screaming "KARI" which would have been her first option in the first place. Ahem again. Paper with writing on it. Check. Hexer powers. Check. Floating the piece of paper around for three hours straight. Check. Coming up with no Kari. Unfortunately, check. Noroi was beginning to think Kari didn't want Noroi to find her. They weren't playing hide-and-seek, where they? Noroi didn't want to open her mouth at last to scream 'I give up! You can come out now!' That would be so non-dramatic, wouldn't it? Curses...

~~~Plan C~~`

Noroi was at the end of her rope. This was the last plan! _THE LAST PLAN!_ Her author was writing this at _one thirty _in the morning, she had honestly expected her first plan too work, she couldn't survive anymore without breaking the fourth wall, and the humor in this stupid chapter was _killing_ her! Ahem. Noroi gritted her teeth, before walking up to a kind looking dark hunter with pink hair she had been thinking about asking about the inn's wear-abouts the _whole_ time, and tapped her shoulder. The girl's eyes widened, and she turned to Noroi.

The girl stared at Noroi.

Noroi stared at the girl.

But nay, the girl did not poison herself with viper, nor did Noroi cast a suicide spell at all. The girl -*cough*_Kari_*cough-gave her a quick hug and spun her around once.

"Noroi!" Kari cried out, relieved. Noroi looked at her happily, glad to not have to worry about finding Karis, inns, labyrinths, or breaking fourth walls. Kari would do it for her. (and her auther could finally get some sleep because finding Kari ment the end of the chapter was rapidly approaching-not that Noroi wasn't tired, she had been walking in circles the entire day, but who was slouching over the computer at one in the morning here?)

"Come on. Lets go to the inn." And with that, Kari walked into the inn that had been in front of Noroi's face the entire time. _Curses...!_

_**End of chapter seven.**_


	8. intermission

_**Sorry, dudes. School has restarted and i'll no longer be able to update as often-but it won't be this long either, I promise! This isn't really a chapter, i'm kinda lost, and want to think some more, so I let Noroi write the chapter for once. I'd even let her say Poor Angels101 if that wasn't odd. Ehehe ;D.**_

_**I DO NOT OWN ETRAIN ODYSSEY! I DO OWN MYSELF, THOUGH.**_

you sigh to yourself flopping into your dingy computer chair, and pull up word. You write oddly funny stories about a poor fourteen-year-old named Noroi, but have no idea what to write. You turn on your favorite video game BM track and insert your headphones, then think more. Finally you decide you've had it and let your character write about you for once and wonder if it counts a fanfiction, or if it should only be recorded in your mind. Finally you decide to grace you seemingly abandoned story with what your character's think your doing, and, apparently, they've a pretty good idea, as you totally aren't writing this.

You sigh again and lean your head back, stare at the screen that your character's don't think exist. You think of Noroi, of her drawings, and wonder if you should abandon your keyboard for a sketchpad. You decide against it. Noroi would be sad, and, even in a different dimension-as you believe there is no such thing as fantasy-it would affect you. But you don't even dream of writing 'poor Noroi' as you had broken the fourth wall already. It was totally shattered, broken.

You hear your mom complaining about homework, but you roll your eyes and ignore her. You find you are hungry so you groan, leaving the artificial light of the screen analyzing data and you get up to fix a bowl of Rice Krispies, abandoning your story once again.

Noroi looked proudly at her paper, beaming with accomplishment. Her story, A chair, a computer, and Angels101's next chapter could finally be updated. She rushes to to post it as soon as she could.

_**End of intermission**_


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